The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-10
GETTYSBURG BATTLEFIELD.
What Is Being Done Upon It--Action of tn
States and Colonel Bachelors Work.

What Is Being Done Upon It---Action of the
States and Colonel Bacheider's Work.
Philadelphia Times
The public hardly realize the vast amount of
work that has been done upon the historic bat
tle-feld at Gettysburg. Nearly hundred
monuments, costing from $500 to s., 900 each,
have been erected, and eight miles of avenues
substantially nclosed with wire fence have been
constructed. Across the twenty five square
miles of territory where the battle was fought
and which embraces the village and all the
suburbs of Gettysburg-strips of land 300 feet
wide which embrace the lines of battle the
breastworks and the like. are being purchased of
the original owners by the Battlefield Memorial
Association. along which the avenues are con-
structed Upon these avenues the monuments
are erected to mark the positions in line of bat
tie occupied by the several ompanies, whose
tanks are marked with appropriate tablets. The
visitor of the future can drive along these high
ways and not only trace the lines of battle but
the Identical positions occupied by each regi-
meut as determined by the veterans themselves.
Most of the credit for this important work is
due Col John B. Bachelor, of Massachusetts.
tho well-known superintendent of tablets and
legends of the Gettysburg Memorial Association.
Colonel Bachelor has made this field life
study. Before the boom of cannon had died
away from the Pennsylvania hills he began
gathering information about the field, and he has
been at it ever since. He went from hospital to
hospital, from private to commander, among
friend and foe. seeking historical data Even
from the lips of the dying he gathered informa
ton. Most of the reunions of confederate and
Union soldiers that have been hello at Gettys-
burg have been promoted by Colonel Bachelor
who has avaied himself of the presence Of act
i've participants to gain from them the true
story of the great conflict AS memento of
his work. and especially to show the estimation
in which he is held by them, the people of Get
tysburg gave Colonel Bachelor not long ago, a
small cannon that is in itself as unique war
implement as could well exist 1t is cannon
perfect IN every respect, but cast from metal
IL -
shell fired by both confederate and Union guns
There is unusual activity among old soldiers
this winter in securing State appropriations with
which to mark their several commands I4egis-
latures IN most the Northern States have under
consideration bills of this sort, and the comm z
summer will see the erection of large number
| of regimental monuments The Ohio Assembly
| set aside 5000 for this purpose, but when the
delegates reached Gettysburg and saw what other
| States had done and the unfavorable light in
| which the Of this small would place
their State they declined to use the money. but
went TO the last Legislature for an additional
| appropriation and given 5000. After
| giving the Battlefield Memorial Associa-
ton liberal sum for its purposes
| they will still have a large amount
| with which to erect their nineteen monuments,
| which they propose to do the present year The
| New Jersey Legislature appropriated So, 600 to
| erect memorial structures to mark the positions
| of her troops and appointed a commission to at
tend to it. When the commission visited the
| field and saw what had already been done the
members declined TO spend the money. They
will ask the present Legislature to increase the
| appropriation to 81 900 for each command. with
liberal amount for the purposes OF the assocla
ton.
The Legislature Of Vermont has appropriated
$4,000 to be expended on the GETTYSBURG battle
field-s2, 800 for the use of the Battle field Me
| mortal Association and $1,000 for the cree
ton OF monuments to mark the positions
| of her nine commands. A commission
has been appointed. composed OF one
delegate from each organization, which hal
been notified by Governor Ormsbee 20 meet a
Rutland on April IT, to so to Gettysburg and de
termine their respective positions. They hop
to have their monuments erected the presen
| year. The Maine Legislature has a bill to mp
propriate $40, 200 lnow pending. which will un
doubsedly pass. This proposes to give s. 500 TO